There's just something unequivocally euphoric about grabbing your big coat (or not and baring the consequences) for a late night gig in Leeds. The buzz of watching up-and-coming artists perform in intimate venues and holding on to every lyric; the bounce of the crowd as you sing along to songs you've only ever heard in your earphones- there really is nothing quite like it.
Back for the first proper year since the pandemic, it seems that the music scene is alive this autumn with artists taking to various venues almost every night across the city.
It's been difficult to narrow down to our top ten nights out, but as ever, we've got all our favourite gigs, concerts, festivals and live events for you this month- and there's still tickets available to ALL the events.
Keep reading to find out our top ten for October 2022.
Machine Gun Kelly
Thursday 6 October 2022 | First Direct Arena, Arena Way
Image: First Direct Arena
The Mainstream Sellout tour is coming to Leeds this month and MGK promises a standout performance with non-stop hits from not just his own music, but some very special guests too. Avril Lavigne, Blackbear, iann dior, PVRIS, Travis Barker, Trippie Redd, WILLOW and 44phantom will all be making an appearance across the tour, though it hasn't been announced just yet which of these to expect in Leeds.
Tickets cost from £42.50 each and are still available on the First Direct Arena website.
Get tickets for Machine Gun Kelly at the First Direct Arena here.
Non Stop Styles Club Night
Saturday 8 October 2022 | HiFi Club, Central Road
Image: Skiddle
The ultimate student club night has arrived in Leeds for Styles fans. The Non Stop Styles night is, as the name suggests, all about championing the international star from Derbyshire that we all know and love. Taking us on a journey from the One Direction days to his most recent hits, the entire club night is dedicated entirely to Harry Styles tunes.
Tickets cost £5-£7 each and are available on the Skiddle website.
Get tickets for Non Stop Styles at HiFi Club here.
ABBA Disco Wonderland
Thursday 13 October 2022 | The Warehouse, Somers Street
Image: Skiddle
One of the biggest ABBA Tribute Club nights is coming back to Leeds, and it's the perfect opportunity for ABBA lovers to reunite under one roof. The ABBA Disco Wonderland has completed a full four years of sell out tours, and over this time have continued to bring the best of 70s and 80s to venues across the UK and beyond, so expect wild fancy dress, confetti canons, CO2 jets and more, all down to a tee.
Tickets cost £8.00 each plus a booking fee from Skiddle
Get tickets for ABBA Disco Wonderland at The Warehouse here.
Opera North presents Orpheus
Friday 14 October - Saturday 22 October 2022 | Grand Theatre, New Briggate
Opera North Orchestra Huddersfield
Orpheus will be a groundbreaking reimagining of one of the earliest surviving operas, Monteverdi’s 1607 work L’Orfeo. The production will open at the Leeds Grand Theatre this October before touring other northern theatres alongside Verdi’s La traviata, and concerts of Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice.
Tickets cost from £10 for Under 30 members, then £25 - £80.50 for regular tickets.
Get tickets for Orpheus Live at the Grand Theatre here.
Live At Leeds: In The City Festival
Saturday 15 October 2022 | Various locations, Leeds
Image: Live at Leeds
150+ Artists. 14 Venues. 16 Stages. 1 Day. 1 Wristband. The festival has previously seen the likes of Ed Sheeran, Stormzy, The 1975, Lizzo, Sam Fender, Royal Blood, Sam Smith, Tom Grennan and many more take to the stage before going to become global successes, so those looking to find up-and-coming talent will be sure to find some independent names destined for cities far bigger than Leeds in the future. This year, expect to hear from Pale Waves, Sundara Karma, White Lies and some 150 more.
Tickets cost £39 each plus a booking fee, plus limited VIP tickets are available for an additional amount.
Find out more about Live At Leeds: In The City Festival here and get tickets here.
Bon Iver
Wednesday 19 October 2022 | First Direct Arena, Arena Way
Image: First Direct Arena
The American indie folk band will be bringing the soft melodic tunes back from 2007 to the present day to the First Direct Arena this month. Skinny Love singer Justin Vernon has been winning over the hearts of the UK for quite some time, and given there's five full albums and countless singles to choose from, this will be a standout performance from one of folk's most-loved bands.
Seated tickets are still available, costing from £30.55 each on the First Direct Arena website.
Get tickets for Bon Iver at the First Direct Arena here.
Alfie Templeman
Thursday 20 October 2022 | Leeds Beckett Student Union, Portland Building
Image: Facebook
Alfie Templeman, at just 19, produces music that's guaranteed to get everyone on their feet. Having made his debut back in 2016, the singer-songwriter has spent the past six years perfecting melodies that have seen the Mellow Moon singer shoot to stardom, landing an evening slot at The Leadmill Stage at Tramlines Festival earlier this year and joint headline tour with Thomas Headon across North America later this year.
Tickets cost £16 each from the Leeds Beckett Student Union website.
Get tickets for Alfie Templeman at Leeds Beckett SU here.
The Snuts
Saturday 22 October 2022 | O2 Academy, Millenium Square
Image: Live Nation
One of the indie bands circulating on all the Spotify playlists recently, The Snuts are a Scottish indie-rock four-piece with a lot to say about the world. Bringing Glasgow to Leeds this month, fans of Inhaler, Blossoms, Sundara Karma, Arctic Monkeys and The Amazons (you get the idea) are likely to find comfort in their soft rock tunes and wistful lyrics.
Tickets cost £27.25 each for unreserved seating and standing from Ticketmaster.
Get tickets for The Snuts at the O2 Academy Leeds here.
Sugababes
Sunday 23 October 2022 | O2 Academy Leeds, Millenium Square
Image: Festickets
The three piece British girl group is back. Having changed their lineup three times before returning to the original trio in 2011, the One Touch singers were a 00s staple, bringing us Push The Button, Round Round, Too Lost In You and far too many other floorfiller club classics. Having now been performing for over 20 years, the band are back and bringing a nostalgic performance to Leeds later this month.
Tickets cost £46.235 each for standing or £181.25 for the Meet and Greet AMEX Package.
Get tickets to see the Sugababes at the O2 Academy Leeds here.
Billy Idol
Tuesday 25 October 2022 | First Direct Arena, Arena Way
Image: Wikicommons
A performance that needs no introduction. Billy Idol will be bringing Television and Toyah Willcox to the First Direct Arena for a night of punk rock and heavy metal. The White Wedding singer will be taking Leeds down memory lane with best hits from the 80s that we all know and love, still forty years on.
Tickets cost from £55.15 each with only seated remaining on Ticketmaster.
Get tickets for Billy Idol at the First Direct Arena here.
Feature Image- Live At Leeds Festival
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Jane McDonald at First Direct Arena, Leeds – tickets, times and more for UK tour
West Yorkshire's very own Jane McDonald is coming to First Direct Arena in Leeds for a hometown show that's set to be spellbinding.
Making her British TV screen debut nearly 30 years ago on The Cruise, before joining the Loose Women panel and going on to present a whole host of travel shows including Cruising with Jane McDonald, now this Wakefield legend returns to First Direct Arena.
This latest tour titled after her 2026 LP Living The Dream, will see Jane singing hits from both past and present including a couple covers too.
Earlier this year, Jane's Mighty Hoopla performance went viral online after she commanded the stage in a red leather jacket, donning a singular rainbow hair extension while belting out RAYE's 'Where Is My Husband!'
Audio North even got the opportunity to interview this legendary lady when she visited her hometown HMV store in Wakefield for an exclusive album signing - Oh look, it's me!
The Wakefield wonder-woman's latest album Living The Dream was released in March and considering the tour is named after this impressive LP, we're sure fans can expect to hear quite a few tracks from this album.
Living The Dream
I'll Not Be Beaten
You Don't Know What You Got
Don't Mind If I Do
The Hand That Leads Me
Ain't Gonna Beg
I Will Always Love You
Islands in the Stream
Jolene
9 to 5
You're My World
Where Is My Husband!
Let the Light In
Cake by the Ocean
Jai Ho!
APT.
Right Where I Belong
How Do I Move On
Beautiful Soul
All By Myself
You Still Lead Me
Of course, Jane also loves to cover a tune or two, and we'll never forget her renditions of 'Cake By The Ocean', 'Jai Ho' or 'APT.'.
What are the stage times for Jane McDonald in Leeds?
The doors for Jane McDonald's Living The Dream Tour in Leeds are set for 6pm with the event set to start at 7.30pm.
First Direct Arena has a curfew of 11pm meaning you have enough time to dash home and eat 'Cake by the (Sofa)' before ringing in the new day.
How to get to First Direct Arena
Bus Station
Located on Dyer Street next to Leeds City Bus Station and approx. 15min walk from first direct arena and is wheelchair friendly.
Support and help for any persons with a disability is available as the station is a registered ‘Safe place’ to come into and ask for assistance.
Nearest Bus Stops
Clay Pit Lane
Wade Lane/Lovell Park Road
Woodhouse Lane
Nearest Train Station
Leeds City Station on New Station Street is around a 15min walk from first direct arena and a major hub on the national, regional and local rail network providing connections to a wide variety of destinations.
Parking
There are over 7,500 car parking spaces within a 15-minute walk of the arena. The arena doesn’t have it’s own car park however there are lots of options nearby. To receive 5% off Q Park when attending a show at first direct arena click here
The nearest Car Park with EV charging is located on Albion Street click here.
None of the above car parks are operated by the arena so for questions, queries or comments we ask that you contact the companies directly.
Hiring Bikes in Leeds
If you’re looking to hire a bike in Leeds, here are some of the best options you can try:
Beryl bikes – you’ll find the ‘Leeds City Bikes’ from Beryl stationed throughout the city. These are all e-bikes, and they’re available to hire on a pay-as-you-go basis. It costs £1 to unlock the bikes, and then 16p per minute to use them. We’d say these are great for zipping around the city and getting from A to B.
Talio – for a wider selection of electric bikes to choose from, Talio based at Buslinthorpe Green is a great option. From this company, you can hire cruiser bikes, mountain bikes, and cargo bikes. Prices start from £20 per day for rental, but if you’re hiring for a month or longer you’ll get a good discount.
Kings of Leon at First Direct Arena, Leeds – tickets, times, setlist and more for UK tour
Thomas Melia
American rock band Kings of Leon are making their way to Leeds for a visit to First Direct Arena as part of their current EU/UK tour.
Formed in 1999 by brothers Caleb, Nathan, Jared, plus their cousin Matthew Followill, the rock band has gone on to achieve nine top 40 singles and six UK number one albums.
The rockers have two singles in Spotify’s Billions Club, including their standout hit ‘Sex on Fire’, which has amassed over 2 billion streams and ‘Use Somebody’ with 1.2 billion – two tracks that helped skyrocket them from cult favourites here in Britain to global superstars.
This four-piece’s latest LP, Can We Please Have Fun, dropped mid-2024 and knowing how energetic Northern crowds can be, it’s safe to say we’ve got this covered.
Last time they travelled over the pond, they let the Manchester crowd know the England score in real-time (read our full review).
Gig guide – Kings of Leon at First Direct Arena, Leeds
Kings of Leon UK tour dates
Fri 3 July – Glasgow, UK – Bellahouston Park
Sat 4 July – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
Mon 6 July – Leeds, UK – First Direct Bank Arena
Are there any tickets left for Kings of Leon at First Direct Arena?
If you’re wondering where you’ll ‘Find Me’ on Monday 6 July, it is probably watching these four relatives play their two decades’ worth of hits at First Direct Arena.
Don’t ‘Waste a Moment’ as there’s only a limited number of tickets left if you’re after catching a glimpse of Kings of Leon live – get yours HERE.
Kings of Leon are gearing up for their Leeds gig at First Direct this July (Credit: Press shot)
Kings of Leon setlist for 2026 UK tour
These American rockers have been performing all across Europe, switching up a couple of songs at each show; however, the hits below have featured at most of their appearances.
Slow Night, So Long
Waste a Moment
Find Me
On Call
Radioactive
The Bucket
Revelry
Manhattan
Use Somebody
Wait For M
Split Screen
Closer
Molly’s Chambers
Razz
MyParty
Supersoaker
Fans
Back Down South
Seen
Pyro
Black Thumbnail
To Space
Knocked Up
Sex on Fire
What are the stage times for Kings of Leon in Leeds?
Doors for Kings of Leon at First Direct Arena in Leeds are set to open at 6pm with a kick-off time of 7.30pm from a huge indie rock band.
Supporting the US rockers is a band who have received comparisons to Kings of Leon, the loud-and-proud Scottish stars The Snuts, known for their tracks like ‘Glasgow’, ‘Elephants’ and ‘Maybe California'.
Located on Dyer Street next to Leeds City Bus Station and approx. 15min walk from first direct arena and is wheelchair friendly.
Support and help for any persons with a disability is available as the station is a registered ‘Safe place’ to come into and ask for assistance.
Nearest Bus Stops
Clay Pit Lane
Wade Lane/Lovell Park Road
Woodhouse Lane
Nearest Train Station
Leeds City Station on New Station Street is around a 15min walk from first direct arena and a major hub on the national, regional and local rail network providing connections to a wide variety of destinations.
Parking
There are over 7,500 car parking spaces within a 15-minute walk of the arena. The arena doesn’t have it’s own car park however there are lots of options nearby. To receive 5% off Q Park when attending a show at first direct arena click here
The nearest Car Park with EV charging is located on Albion Street click here.
None of the above car parks are operated by the arena so for questions, queries or comments we ask that you contact the companies directly.
Hiring Bikes in Leeds
If you’re looking to hire a bike in Leeds, here are some of the best options you can try:
Beryl bikes – you’ll find the ‘Leeds City Bikes’ from Beryl stationed throughout the city. These are all e-bikes, and they’re available to hire on a pay-as-you-go basis. It costs £1 to unlock the bikes, and then 16p per minute to use them. We’d say these are great for zipping around the city and getting from A to B.
Talio – for a wider selection of electric bikes to choose from, Talio based at Buslinthorpe Green is a great option. From this company, you can hire cruiser bikes, mountain bikes, and cargo bikes. Prices start from £20 per day for rental, but if you’re hiring for a month or longer you’ll get a good discount.
Sophie Smith -
3rd October 2022 
